Refuges. The erection of new and the re-siting of old refuges have received considerable attention and many improvements have been made in this connection.

"Cross Here" Notices.-The placing of "Cross Here" notice boards for the safety of pedestrians in crossing busy thoroughfares is under experiment at several places.

Advisory Committee.-A very large amount of work in connection with traffic matters has been dealt with by the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee, on which the Police are represented by Mr. Frank Elliott, C.B., Assistant Commissioner.

Stopping Points. The re-arrangement of stopping places for tramcars and omnibuses has received continued attention and local conditions of traffic have been in this manner improved.

The marking of the roadway by the insertion of aluminium strips to denote the stopping places for omnibuses has been tried as an experiment in several places, and the result of the trial is under consideration.

Parking Places.-The Regulations made by the Minister of Transport under the London Traffic Act are under revision. They continue to work smoothly on the whole, but, owing to the small amount of space available for parking accommodation, little hope can be entertained of any extensions which may be possible in the number or the size of parking places being sufficient to meet the ever growing demand, at any rate in the central part of London.

Some attempt has been made by private enterprise to provide garage accommodation in the more congested areas at a reasonable charge, but there is considerable hesitancy on the part of motor car owners in availing themselves of these facilities. They prefer the free accommodation of the thoroughfares, if permitted, and the absence of delay in leaving and removing their vehicles.

Regulations for Traffic Control on Special Occasions.—

(i) Ascot.—As is usual, the procedure for the control of the Ascot race traffic was decided at a conference with the various authorities concerned. The weather was fine and the traffic arrangements were satisfactorily carried out. The volume of vehicular traffic was again very considerable. Further road improvements are contemplated.

(ii) Epsom.-The Epsom Summer Meeting maintained its popularity, and an enormous concourse of people and vehicles of all descriptions were in attendance. The weather was finer than that usually experienced in recent years and the traffic arrangements were carried out with greater facility. When the whole of the improvements contemplated, which include the widening of roads and the provision of new approaches, have been completed, control will be still further simplified.

(iii) Hendon. The increasingly popular display of the Royal Air Force again attracted a huge crowd, and the number of motor cars was greater than ever. The new bye-pass road already opened was of great assistance and when certain further improvements have been made it is hoped that this event will present no serious traffic difficulties.

(iv) Lord's and Wimbledon.-These fixtures maintained their popularity and again large crowds were present. Better parking facilities were provided at Wimbledon last year, and traffic arrangements worked smoothly and satisfactorily.

Traffic Census.-The annual census of traffic passing 98 selected points, including cross river traffic at the Thames Bridges, Tunnels, &c., was taken for a period of 12 hours on a day corresponding with that on which the census was taken in former years. The result showed that vehicular traffic continues to increase in volume.

The percentages of the different classes of traffic enumerated at all points during the census are as follow:

Light motor cars (including cabs)..

Cycles (including motor)

43.19

..

18.21

The results of the census show an increase in volume over that of the 1926 census of approximately 2.43 per cent.

The increase is almost wholly in the light motor car class, the only other class to show an increase being heavy motor cars. The remaining classes show a small decrease, the greatest being cycles (including motor-cycles) with 2.27 per cent.

Revenue Offences.-3,560 cases were reported in which motor vehicles were detected in use with an expired licence affixed, and after enquiry had revealed that prima facie cases were established, 3,285 notifications were sent to the various County and County Borough Councils for the necessary action to be taken.

Traffic Fatalities. The table on page 37 gives full particulars of the number of persons killed and the class of vehicle which actually inflicted the fatal injury in each case.

Each accident report is carefully analysed, and the following table shows the numbers of pedestrians, occupants of vehicles and cyclists who met their deaths in 1927, figures for the two preceding years being added for purposes of comparison.

Number. Percentage. Number. Percentage. Number. Percentage. Pedestrians .. 597

1927.

71

703

70

707

67

The main causes of the fatalities during 1927 were:

into roadway.

16

10

6

(5) Pedestrians improperly riding on vehicles :

Behind or in vehicle

An endeavour is made to assign a cause to each fatality, and during the year a table of causes of accidents has been circulated (a) to the Press in the hope of stimulating public interest, and (b) to Educational Authorities in the hope that children may be taught the necessity for care when in the streets and highways.

Taxicabs (Conditions of Licensing, etc.) Committee.—A Committee under the Chairmanship of Mr. Douglas Hacking, O.B.E., M.P., sat during the latter part of the year to investigate the question of the conditions of fitness laid down for taxi-cabs and to ascertain to what extent, if any, the requirements contributed to the high cost of this type of vehicle.

Evidence was given by police representatives and by members of the cab trade and motor manufacturing firms.

London Traffic Act.-The most important matters calling for comment in this connection during the year were the continued absorption of the smaller omnibus owners by larger concerns. The formation of the London Public Omnibus Company, Limited, ended in their taking over approximately 190 omnibuses previously controlled by small companies. The London General Omnibus Company, Limited, have also absorbed a number of small owners and companies and the number of individual. proprietors has now materially decreased.

In order more effectively to control the omnibus position, additional streets were scheduled as "restricted streets" during the year by the Minister of Transport.

There has been a fair number of proceedings for infringements

of scheduled working during the year.

approved

On 31st December, 1927, there were 333 defined " routes" under Section 6 (1) of the Act, with 565 short sections which are also approved routes, giving a total of 898.

Public Carriages.-Vehicles Licensed.- During 1927 there were 16,963 public carriages licensed as follow:-8,147 cabs, including 150 horse-drawn (141 clarence and 9 of the hansom pattern); 5,837 omnibuses, including 3 horse-drawn brakes; 2,750 tramcars; and 229 chars-a-bancs. Compared with 1926, there are increases of 414 motor omnibuses and 60 tramcars; and decreases of 295 motor cabs, 36 horse cabs, and 3 chars-a-bancs. The increase in omnibuses is not so great as the figures would suggest as some vehicles were licensed more than once during the year owing to the absorptions referred to under London Traffic Act.

New Types.-No new type of motor cab has been licensed

for service.

Two new types of motor omnibuses have been licensed, viz. L.G.O.C. "London 6" (six wheeler) and "Guy" (six wheeler), both having covered tops. These are in the nature of an experiment with a view to determine the suitability of the very large type of omnibus for London use. The increase in available road space in Inner London is infinitesimal; and, in view of the evergrowing volume of traffic and the increasing difficulty of circulation, the tendency to increase the size of such vehicles needs to be carefully watched and the effect on traffic in general fully considered before final approval can be given.

No further steps have been taken by the two-seater cab firms towards the licensing of this type of vehicle.

On the 22nd April, 1927, the Secretary of State issued an Order authorizing a new scale of charges in respect of motor cabs, based on an initial hiring of 6d. for two-thirds of a mile.

Particulars of this scale are as follow:

(a) For a distance not exceeding two-thirds of a

mile or for time not exceeding 7 minutes 6d.
(b) Exceeding two-thirds of a mile or 7 minutes :-
(i) For each third of a mile or time not ex-

ceeding 3 minutes ..

(ii) For any less distance or time ..

3d.

3d.

In addition to the above the driver shall be entitled to charge

the following extra payments :—

(i) For luggage :

For each bicycle, child's mailcart or per-
ambulator

9d.

For each other package carried outside 3d.
(ii) Extra persons :-

When licensed to carry more than two persons :-
For each additional person beyond two for

the whole journey

6d.

Provided that one child, or, if there be more than one, two children under the age of ten years shall count as one person.

On the 31st December, 1927, the number of motor cabs fitted with meters recording at the 6d. per two-thirds of a mile fate was

A complete change over to the new meter cannot be immediately effected, but as the motor cabs are presented for relicensing, meters recording at the new scale must be affixed. Printed notices inside the cab denote to the public the type of meter in use on that cab.

New Vehicles Licensed.-394 new motor omnibuses and 205 new motor cabs were licensed during the year.

Top-deck Covered Omnibuses.-There were by the end of the year 1,623 covered top omnibuses licensed and 110 approved routes or short sections were authorized for operation by this type of omnibus.

Four-wheel Brakes.-Trials of four-wheel brake systems are in operation on the Dennis, Guy, Leyland, Maudslay, Lancia and A.D.C. types of vehicles.

None has been submitted for motor cabs, but the early submission of one is anticipated.

Road Tests for Motor Cabs.-The road tests for motor cabs which commenced in 1923 have been continued, with the result that 15 vehicles have failed to pass the first trial.

Drivers and Conductors Licensed.-46,962 licences were issued, being an increase on the year 1926 of 422 and constituting a record for the Department.

This total is made up of 10,629 cab drivers, 16,138 stage drivers, 17,857 conductors and 2,338 composite (driver and conductor combined).

Applications for Licences.-51,371 applications for drivers' and conductors' licences were received.

Examinations.-305 applicants for cab drivers' licences passed the examination in knowledge of London and its environs.

Many had to be re-examined several times with the result that no fewer than 7,503 separate examinations were needed.

6,405 examinations in the driving of motor cabs and omnibuses were held. 5,041 men passed the test. A proportion of these, however, passed after one or more failures.

Public Functions and Meetings. Various public functions necessitating the employment of considerable numbers of Police took place during the year. The police arrangements made appear to have been adequate and satisfactory.

In this connection special mention should be made of the meetings held in the Albert Hall and Hyde Park on the evening of Armistice Day, under the auspices of a morning newspaper.

Incidents which occurred in connection with the subsequent march to the Cenotaph and the assembly in Whitehall bring once more into prominence the serious difficulties from a police point of view involved in such gatherings when held at night.

A further example was afforded by the Sacco demonstrations, which gave rise to the assemblage of very large crowds in Hyde Park at a late hour of the night.

The objections to, and the dangers involved in, these nocturnal assemblies are sufficiently obvious. They afford great oppor